Treasure Hunt
by waydown
Summary: The Marauders go on a treasure hunt and a young Regulus Black is newly enlisted by the Dark Lord.
1. Chapter 1

_One day when Sirius was out Mrs. Black summoned her younger son to the drawing room._

_"Regulus," she said, "I need you to do something." _

_"Anything, Mother."_

_She smiled, a rare sight. "I hoped you would say that."

* * *

_

"Oh, come on, Moony," said Sirius, looking pitiful. Remus straightened the book that Sirius kept knocking awry and managed not to meet his mournful gaze. "Come _on_, mate," Sirius persisted. "_Christmas._ It won't be _Christmas_ without you."

"We could all just stay here again," offered Remus, for what felt like the thousandth time. It was November, beautiful and chilly, frost on windows and breath hanging in air, and Sirius Black was kneeling on the common room floor and not letting Remus ignore the fact that he, for the first time, was Breaking Up the Group.

"No," said Sirius. "We _can't._ The Potters have invited us to their place for Christmas. Look, mate, we've been over all this before. All you have to say is 'Sure, Pads, I would _love_ to come to James's for Christmas!' and then we'd all be happy and little cherubs would burst out of the air singing, you know, and then you could go back to your book." He sat back on his heels, giving Remus his best puppy-dog face.

Remus sighed and closed the book. The common room was nearly empty this close to dinner, so there was nothing to distract him from Sirius's pleas (not that there was anything more distracting than Sirius anyway). He tried to meet Sirius's gaze but the kicked-puppy hurt and sorrow in those grey eyes made his stomach do a flip. He bit his lip and looked away. "But I _can't,"_ he said, focusing instead on the fraying upholstery of his chair. He started to pick at it. "My _parents_, I told you before-"

"But Moony, we're _so_ responsible-" Remus gave a little chuff of laughter and Sirius amended, "-responsible with you anyway, I mean with your Issue, right, if _that's_ the issue, which I guess it is because it's the Issue but you know what I mean, and if you're worried about money we can all pitch in, and if they just want to _have_ you well they can't because we want you too-"

"Oi!" James came thumping down the staircase, mussing his hair with one hand and waving impatiently at them with the other. "What are you two doing? Still arguing? What about dinner?"

"Dinner?" said Remus distractedly, tugging halfheartedly at a thread.

"Yes, _dinner,"_ said James, leaning around the back of Remus's chair and rapping the book that still lay across his knees. "You know, that big, delicious meal that we're already missing? Where's Peter?"

"He went down already," said Remus, understandable preoccupied. Sirius was still looking at him pleadingly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" demanded James.

"We're waiting for Remus to say yes," said Sirius accusingly.

"Oh, leave him alone, he'll come round," said James, ruffling Remus's hair affectionately. Remus squirmed. "In the meantime, I'll give you a Galleon if you can beat me to the Great Hall."

* * *

_Regulus had to sit down._

_"The Dark Lord?" he repeated, a trifle breathlessly. "Our Lord wants **me** to . . ."_

_"You are ideal for the task," said Mrs. Black, leaning forward in her seat. Her eyes twinkled with girlish excitement. "You are perfectly placed, trusted by all, popular with the teachers and, best of all, clever enough to do it properly. Regulus, do you understand what this means? You could become the Dark Lord's favorite! You could rise in his favor! Do this right and he will entrust you with more and more important tasks." _

_Regulus sat back, feeling dazed. Of course, he had always hoped to receive such an assignment, but at fifteen? It was unheard of, an incredible honor. Even his mother, usually so cool with her sons, was practically clapping with anticipation. He had only ever seen her so animated when she was talking about the Dark Lord's progress with Regulus's father. _

_"Why . . . why does he need it?" Regulus asked, trying to seem intelligent rather than stricken dumb. "Does it hold any power? Is it necessary for the movement?"_

_"He does not tell me everything, of course," said Mrs. Black. "I am hardly as valuable to him as Lucius Malfoy or your cousin Bellatrix. Or as you someday might be!" She gave him an encouraging smile. Even as he smiled back Regulus was astonished by the change in her attitude now that he had the potential of improving her status. "But I have been led to believe," she continued, lowering her voice so that he had to lean forward to hear, "that the object you recover may be used **to extend the life of the Dark Lord himself." **_

_Regulus gasped aloud, the reaction his mother had wanted. She leaned back again and beamed at him. "The honor!" she said. "Imagine!"_

_"Will I . . . will I be working alone?" said Regulus._

_A cloud crossed her face, and for a moment Regulus saw the spiteful, petulant woman he was more accustomed to. "No," she said. "You are young and this is your first mission. You will be working with an older girl. An Evermarsh."_

_"Elspeth Evermarsh?" said Regulus, surprised. "But she's a Ravenclaw prefect!"_

_"And completely loyal to the Dark Lord. She was made Head Girl this summer and therefore will have many privileges you, as a fifth year, do not. Her connections will prove invaluable to you."_

_"I was made a prefect as well, Mother," said Regulus, a little testily. _

_"Yes, of course," she said dismissively. Regulus looked down to hide his disappointment at her response. His parents never even acknowledged this achievement unless Sirius was in the room. They assumed such success was only to be expected from their sons and only spoke of it if one of them failed. "Of course you were. But she, as Head Girl, can give you a range of passwords from which you would otherwise be restricted."_

_"Yes, Mother."_

_Mrs. Black gave him another startling, friendly smile. "I know you will do well, Regulus," she said grandly, as if her confidence was a gift to be treasured. "You are a clever boy, and loyal. You may go now."_

_He stood, bowed respectfully, and left the room.

* * *

_

" So explain to me again what you're doing?"

"I can't _tell_ you," said Regulus exasperatedly. "I did _say. _Monty, didn't I already say?"

Montgomery Mountjoy looked up from his mashed potatoes and grinned. "He did. I heard him."

Regulus and his friends were sitting at the far end of the Slytherin table tonight, far away from everyone except Severus Snape, who sat shooting them dirty looks and picking at his stew. They ignored him. Monty Mountjoy sat beside Regulus, flipping through a political pamphlet from an underground group in Lithuania and half-listening to their conversation. His blond hair was raked at an odd angle, probably unintentionally, and his blue eyes flickered across the page with vague disinterest. Aubrey Zabini was sitting directly across from Regulus, looking lovely as usual with her chocolate skin, honey-colored eyes and bow-shaped lips, giving him her signature secretive smile and fluttering her eyelashes coquettishly.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Aubrey. I don't know what you're trying to accomplish. _I can't tell you."_

Aubrey sat back, smiling more genuinely now. "You can answer a question, can't you? Or evade one?"

Regulus grinned. "Ask away."

"Fine. Now, this is obviously some plot for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and obviously-"

_"Shhh!"_ Regulus shot a panicked look at the rest of the Slytherins and then at the teachers' table. He glared at Aubrey.

"You're ridiculous," she said calmly. "Monty already cast a silencing spell." Monty waved a hand in a vague salute and turned the page of his pamphlet. "As I was saying, you're working for the Dark Lord and you're getting him a specific, hard-to-reach object, but _my _question is: How are you doing it?"

Regulus sat back. "Am I being that obvious?" he said wearily. "Because if I am you can just kill me right now."

"Of course you aren't," she said soothingly, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. Aubrey Zabini could make even pumpkin juice look appealing. "I've just been watching you, that's all. But more to the point, I _am_ interested to know how you're getting this valuable artifact. I am assuming that it is valuable, and an artifact, because if it were anything else you would have secured it already." She took another sip and looked at him expectantly.

"I . . ." He sighed. "I can't tell you. It's _secret_."

She gave him an overly understanding look and patted his hand. "Is it the kind of 'secret' that I'll be able to spot from a mile away?" she said kindly.

He shot her a dark look, trying to mask the grin that threatened to shine through. "If you're jealous that I didn't ask for your help," he said, mock defensively, "you could just _say _so, Miss Zabini."

"Oh, I'm not," she said, tossing her perfect dark curls over one shoulder. "I was just saying that your plans usually leave something to be desired."

Regulus smiled and said, with some pride, "Not that I'm acknowledging truth in anything you say, but this one doesn't."

"I can't wait," said Monty, and closed his pamphlet.

* * *

James burst through the Great Hall doors. The entire hall turned to stare. McGonagall, sitting at the teachers' table, started to rise, but Dumbledore stayed her arm with a smile. "I won!" crowed James, flinging his hands in the air and dashing towards his customary seat at the Gryffindor table. Cheers and laughter greeted him.

"You _cheated!"_ yelled Sirius breathlessly, pelting in after him, Remus's book clutched in one hand. Remus came sprinting through the doors, not even winded but looking panicked.

"Sirius! The book!" cried Remus. "Be _careful,_ that's on loan-"

"You cheated!" repeated Sirius breathlessly, gaining on James, "you pushed me on the st-" and he smashed into the end of the Hufflepuff bench with a thunderous crash, scattering himself and several first years like very vocal ninepins. The book flew out of his hand and skidded across the stone floor. Remus leapt after it.

"Bugger fuck ow-" Sirius was shouting to the world in general.

"Black! Potter! _Lupin!"_ McGonagall snapped across the Hall. "Thirty points from Gryffindor!"

"Sirius! Mate! Are you- ahahaha - are you all right?" gasped James, between bouts of helpless laughter.

Remus ignored them all. The book skated down the aisle and probably would have come to rest in front of the teachers' table had a neat leather shoe not pinned it to the flagstones. Remus skidded to a halt in front of the shoe's owner.

"Lily-" he said, breathless now from worry rather an exertion, "Lily, I am so sorry-"

She scooped up the book and inspected it. "Well. Front cover nearly torn off, pages full of dust, what looks like teeth marks on one corner. When I said 'Take good care of this book, Remus,' this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Lily, I kept it away from them as long as I could, but he just snatched it and _ran,_ and then the staircase moved and it was either take the long way down or break every bone in my body-"

She smiled. "It's all right. I have better copies at home. Did you really think I would loan you something I expected to see again?"

Remus looked relieved, and a little sheepish. "I try to keep them away from my things, but you know them, they just . . ."

As if on cue, they both turned to look down the aisle. Sirius was leaning heavily against the end of the Hufflepuff table, clutching one kneecap and loudly bewailing his pain. James and Peter were doubled over with laughter beside him. McGonagall, looking stormy, was descending on them like a bird of prey.

"Yes," said Lily, with contempt. "I know them."

* * *

"Good Lord," said Aubrey Zabini, wrinkling her nose prettily. "Your brother does like to put on a show, doesn't he."

"Idiot," said Regulus, not even looking up.

"Looks like he's weaseling his way out of punishment, though," observed Monty, who was craning to get a better view of the proceedings. "I'm surprised he can still play the pity card at all. It's impressive."

"I hope he broke his leg," said Regulus, savagely cutting into his pie.

"Now, that's no attitude for a Slytherin," said Aubrey. "Show a little House loyalty, Reg. A real Slytherin would arrange an accident to _ensure_ that he does."

Reg smiled. "That is a nice thought, isn't it."

"A healing charm, ten points docked and he sits right down to dinner," said Monty admiringly, turning back to the table. "I must know his secret."

"People take pity on him because he's simple," said Regulus.

"If he were simple," said Monty, "he would have gone into Ravenclaw, just to be contrary. No, I think he's much the same as us. He just thinks he has nothing to lose."

* * *

"As I was saying," said Sirius, sitting down at the Gryffindor table and making a great show of favoring his bad leg, "Remus should come to James's for Christmas."

"Not this again," groaned Peter.

"What? Don't you want Moony to come with us?" demanded Sirius.

"I want to talk about something else over dinner for a change!"

"Here!" said Remus, with pointed brightness. "Look. Something to pique your interest and _distract you from this hopeless cause."_ He set a piece of paper on the table with a flourish.

"Nothing can distract me," said Sirius staunchly.

James snatched up the paper. "A treasure hunt!" he exclaimed.

"Treasure? Pirates! Where?" cried Sirius, grabbing for the paper.

"_Treasure of the Founders,"_ read James in a theatrical voice. _"If You Can Find It, You Deserve It. A hunt for the hidden artifacts of the Founders of our school. All Houses are invited to participate. A series of clues will be hidden throughout the school, and whichever competitor can reach the ultimate prize first wins the treasure and glory for their House. _Then there's a bunch of drivel from Hogwarts: A History about the Founders' treasure."

"Remus! Where did you find this?" said Sirius, eyes shining. Remus couldn't help but grin.

"There's dozens pinned to the Hall doors," he replied. "I grabbed one as I came in. Perhaps you didn't notice them, I expect you were too busy writhing in pain at the time."

"I'm going to ignore that jibe because I am _so excited," _said Sirius, snatching the paper from James. "A treasure hunt! It's like it was made for us!" He scanned the paper, then frowned. "The clue! There's no clue!"

"Read, idiot," said James. "There, at the bottom."

_"The first clue will be posted on all House bulletin boards in the common rooms,"_ he read._ "It will appear tomorrow morning at seven o'clock._ Tomorrow! Tomorrow's a Saturday! And I have to get up at _seven?"_

"If you want the clue first, you do," said Remus, picking up his utensils and starting his belated dinner.

"Seven it is then," said Sirius. "And if you berks aren't up with me and the sun, then . . . then . . ."

"You'll wake us up," suggested Remus.

"You, my friend," said Sirius, "are not nearly bloody-minded enough."

"You'll peel us into little strips, feed us to the squid, and hollow flutes from our bones," amended Remus.

_"Much _better," said Sirius. "Now all I have to do is convince you to come to James's."

"A treasure hunt," said Peter, wonderingly. "I hope we win."

"Of course we'll win!" said James. "We win at everything!"


	2. Chapter 2

Dawn broke, and with it Remus's water glass.

"Shite! Sorry," yelped Sirius in a stage whisper, hopping on one foot and trying to tug on his robe. "Well- you know- time to get up anyway, isn't it-"

"_Reparo_," said Remus blearily, waving his wand in the general direction of the shattered glass and struggling to sit up. "Sirius, it's not _six_."

"What're you doing, smashing things this early in the morning?" mumbled James into his pillow.

Sirius was pulling on his ratty old slippers now. Remus, sitting on the edge of his bed, leant down and picked up the restored tumbler, setting it carefully on his nightstand. "I was just, you know, getting up," said Sirius. "Getting ready, I mean. For the treasure hunt. Can't be too prepared," he added, and stepped backwards into the puddle of water.

"You were pirouetting," said Peter, over Sirius's exclamations. He alone seemed to be fully awake. "I saw you. Your arm hit the glass."

"Nonsense," said Sirius firmly, plopping himself down on Remus's bed and trying to dry his sock with the wrong end of his wand. Remus, still squinting sleepily, reached over and performed the spell himself. "Delusions of a fevered mind. Pirouetting! Hah. You can't even spell the word."

"Pirouetting, hmm?" said James, finally dragging himself upright.

"P I R O U E T T I N G," said Peter pointedly.

"You're obviously very excited about this treasure hunt," said Remus. "Now get off my bed."

"I am not removing myself until you do," said Sirius comfortably, flopping back and managing to take up fully half of Remus's space. Remus, now huddled at the foot of his bed, wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders and tried to look cross. "Besides," added Sirius, "pirouetting or not, you can't blame me for being excited."

"Is there a particular reason you're in my bed?" persisted Remus.

"He fancies you," said James, fishing for his glasses. _"Obviously."_

"No, he fancies that Ravenclaw girl," said Peter.

"I was kidding," said James irritably. He found his glasses, flicked them open and settled them on his face. "I know he fancies her," he added, turning to look at them now. "That's why it's called a _joke."_

"What Ravenclaw girl?" said Remus.

"I vote," said Sirius suddenly, staring up at Remus's canopy, "that we go down to the common room and wait for the clue."

"Sirius," said Remus in a tired voice, "we've over an hour. What will we _do_? And- what girl-"

"We can play chess!" said Sirius.

"I've got Exploding Snap," offered Peter.

"Gobstones," said James.

"Well, I do have Transfiguration homework," said Remus reluctantly.

"Right!" said Sirius, sitting up and clapping Remus on the back. "We'll have a tournament or three, winner takes clue, and you can sit and be dry and boring. It'll be fun!"

"Dry and boring, hmm?" said Remus with a glint in his eye. "How about this: I will do the homework of any man who can beat me at Exploding Snap."

"That's not fair!" said Peter. "He has werewolf reflexes!"

"You're on!" said Sirius with a grin.

* * *

"Little Regulus Black," said Elspeth Evermarsh.

It was about half six and they'd arranged to meet in the prefect's bathroom. Regulus, try as he might, was not a morning person, and now he stood in the center of the floor, scrubbing his eyes and trying to look composed. Elspeth, with her smug smile and neat brown braid, was sitting primly on the edge of the enormous tub. She was neatly dressed and groomed. Regulus was lucky to have put his robes on frontways.

"Miss Evermarsh," responded Regulus cordially, trying not to sound too sleepy.

"Late night?" she said with a smirk. "You look exhausted. And your hair's sticking up in the back."

Regulus eyed her calmly and smoothed his hair down. _I bet if I Stunned her, threw her in the tub and left the water running, it would be two hours before anyone found her,_ he thought wistfully. "Thank you," he said aloud. "I appreciate it. Have you applied the necessary spells?"

"At five this morning," she replied. "I'm glad you thought to turn an old flier into the clue rather than creating an entirely new parchment. I couldn't have done it in time otherwise."

"And I couldn't have gotten anywhere without your passwords," said Regulus, trying to sound gracious.

"Of course," said Elspeth. Internally Regulus fumed.

Suddenly a thin voice drifted through the air. _"Not that anyone comes to talk to me anymore,"_ it said, as if from a great distance. _"Yours is the only voice I've heard all year . . . If you don't count eavesdropping . . ."_

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Elspeth, jumping up and whirling to look at the tub. She was smoothing her robes as if she'd gotten something unpleasant on them. "Moaning Myrtle! I completely forgot! I chose this meeting place because so few students are allowed here, but I didn't even think about-"

"I know you didn't," said Regulus, a trifle impatiently. "I did."

She turned and gave him a look so incredulous he almost laughed aloud.

"I asked a friend of mine to occupy her elsewhere for the time being," he said. "As a favor. He doesn't know why, and I don't think he cares. I think what you're hearing is part of their conversation."

Sure enough, a second voice could dimly be heard echoing through the pipes. _"That's terrible. I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to talk to you."_

"A friend? Who? Where are they?" Elspeth looked again at the array of faucets as if they might spring at her.

"Monty Mountjoy. They're in her customary bathroom."

"Mountjoy?" she said, giving him a highly skeptical look. "Strange boy. And you trust him?"

"He's my friend," said Regulus testily. "And he knows when not to ask questions."

"Well." She glanced back at the tub one last time and then turned to face him again. "That was a good idea. I'm glad you thought of it. Imagine what could have happened if Myrtle has heard!" She laughed lightly.

"Imagine," agreed Regulus, forcing a smile.

"Well, I'll be off, then," she said. "Glad it all worked out. When shall we speak again?"

"I'll contact you," he said.

"Excellent." She smirked again. "And your hair's still sticking up." With that she swept past him and out of the bathroom.

* * *

"Now that we've established that no one can defeat me at Exploding Snap," said Remus, looking drowsy, "may I suggest some other diversion?"

"It's almost seven," said Peter.

"It _is_ seven," said Sirius. He sat up, knelt in the playing cards and craned to see the bulletin board from where they were sitting on the floor. They were seated in a rough circle, or at least they had been until James, after his sixth defeat, had collapsed backwards and sprawled on the floor.

"It's almost time!" hissed Sirius, although there was only a scattering of Gryffindors in the common room this early. "Wake up James!"

"I think he's dead," said Peter. "James?"

"I'm dead," mumbled James, without opening his eyes.

Sirius had already vaulted over the backs of two couches and had taken up his position in front of the bulletin board. Remus took the more sedate route after him, walking _around _the couches instead of over them. "James is dead," he said offhandedly, standing beside Sirius. "I thought you might want to know."

"Serves him right," said Sirius vaguely, eyes fixed on the board. "Where's the clue?"

"It's one past," said Remus, scanning the board. "It should be here."

_"Where is it?"_ Sirius demanded of the board. A few of the second-years began to stare. "It's not appearing!"

"Oh, look," said Remus suddenly. He pointed. Pinned near the bottom of the board was an aged notice sheet, formerly a Quidditch roster from two years before, now home to a single poem.

"The clue!" cried Sirius, and seized it.

"Ah-ah-ah," came a voice. Sirius and Remus both jumped and looked around, but there was no one there. "Ah-ah-ah," it said again, and they realized it was the paper speaking.

"Gah!" exclaimed Sirius, and dropped it.

"Put me back. I am free to everyone," continued the paper in pleasant tones. Remus picked it up gingerly and pinned it back to the board. "Thank you," said the paper kindly, and fell silent.

"I wasn't expecting that," said Sirius, sounding a little shaken.

"What an interesting treasure hunt," said Remus, and pulled a notebook and quill out of his pocket.

Peter appeared beside them, deck of Exploding Snap cards in one hand. "So what's the clue?" he asked brightly. "Is it here? James is dead," he added, "but he said he'll be alive by breakfast."

"The clue's right there," said Sirius, pointing. Peter leant down and read aloud.

_"'Neath the windowes fast as stonne"_

_"Mixe with broth of eagel bune"_

_"Thus she broke her hallowed oath"_

_"and followe thee where'er thou goeth."_

Peter paused. "That doesn't actually make sense," he said.

"It doesn't have to! It's a riddle!" enthused Sirius, who seemed to have gotten over his fright. "It's not supposed to make sense until Remus figures it out!"

"Me?" said Remus, writing down the final quotation marks. "Alone?"

"Of course!" said Sirius. "You're the cleverest!"

"You mean no one else has the patience," said Peter.

_"I _think," said Remus, "that until someone can beat me at Exploding Snap we're _all _going to be working on this riddle. Four heads are better than one, after all."

"You are cruel," said Sirius.

"I'm not making you do my homework," Remus reasoned.

"You're not _letting _us do your homework," Sirius pointed out.

"Well, I never know what kind of quality it's going to be," said Remus, smiling and tucking his notebook back into his robes. "I figure it's safer to do it myself."

"I think James is moving," said Peter. "It must be time for breakfast."

"Let's go jump on his stomach," said Sirius, and vaulted back over the couches.

* * *

"And then she said 'Your hair's still sticking up' and walked out!"

Aubrey and Regulus were sitting in the Quidditch stands, looking out over the frosty pitch. Aubrey was gazing out at the Forbidden Forest, taking in the beautiful panorama of leafless trees and grey skies, half-listening to Regulus's exclamations and ducking his emphatic hand gestures when she could. "Ravenclaws are arrogant," she said lazily. "I could have told you that before you went."

"She is _unbearable,"_ said Regulus, dropping his hands to Aubrey's relief. "Why can't I just work alone? And where is Monty?"

A flicker of annoyance crossed Aubrey's pretty countenance. "Yes, where is he? He told me he'd bring me Clarence's response."

Regulus sighed. "You're not still chasing that Saveloy idiot, are you? Aubrey . . ."

She turned her annoyed look on him. "It's none of your concern whom I write letters to, or why."

"He's a berk."

"He's rich."

They eyed each other with irritation for a moment, until the sound of footsteps cut through the chilly air. Monty Mountjoy was walking up the steps toward them. "Greetings," he said, handing Aubrey a letter and taking a seat beside Regulus.

"What took you so long?" said Regulus, as Aubrey neatly slit open her letter with her wand. "Did Myrtle hex you or something?"

"No," said Monty. "We were talking." He put his feet up on the bench in front of them and looked out across the pitch.

Regulus blinked. "What about?"

"Stealth," said Monty vaguely. "Espionage. She can hear nearly everything, you know, in some way or another."

"Fascinating, I'm sure," said Regulus dubiously. "Aubrey, what does your-"

"We got to be pretty good friends," continued Monty, in the same absent tones. "After three hours of talking. I asked her to keep an eye on things for you and not to interfere with you or Elspeth. She said she'd be delighted."

Regulus and Aubrey stared at him. "You what?" said Regulus blankly.

Monty finally turned to look at them and smiled. "Friends in high places," he said.

"Wow," said Regulus. "Well. Thank you. Very much."

"Anytime," said Monty.

* * *

"So what d'you reckon the riddle means?" asked Sirius, with his mouth full of meat pie.

Remus gave the scrap of paper a bewildered look. They were sitting at lunch now, and even though he hadn't stopped working since seven o'clock he hadn't made any progress. The Great Hall was only half-full; the rest of the students were off trying to discover the next clue themselves. "I haven't the slightest idea," said Remus. "It just doesn't _work._ It doesn't fit any patterns, doesn't refer to anything symbolic, doesn't actually make _sense . . ._ The grammar is atrocious, look at all those unneccessary quotation marks . . ."

"Everyone else thinks they have it," said Peter. "They're checking the stones under all the windows, or the dungeons for eagle's bone. Some of the Ravenclaws are trailing the Grey Lady."

"I bet _that's_ productive," said Sirius, rolling his eyes.

"Where's Lily?" asked James plaintively.

"I thought she was working on the riddle too," said Remus distractedly. He pulled out his quill and circled a word on the page.

"I haven't seen her all _day,_" James added, looking pitiful.

"Cheer up, mate," said Sirius. "If she's fallen into a pit and died you'll never have to be rejected by her again." James moaned and put his head down.

* * *

Lily Evans was, in fact, in the library, with her copy of the riddle spread in front of her and a stack of books beside it. She was currently scouring the Reference Book of References and writing things furiously on her paper.

"They must be _quotes_," she said impatiently to herself, flipping pages in the enormous Book. "The quotation marks aren't a mistake, they're deliberate! But where are the quotes _from?"_

"What's all that noise?" came a sharp voice. Lily jumped. But when Madam Pince rounded the corner of a bookcase and saw Lily she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Evans," she said apologetically. "Is everything all right?"

Lily smiled. For some reason the librarian had taken a liking to her in third year, making her one of the few students she found tolerable. "Yes, Madam Pince, I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little frustrated, that's all."

Madam Pince hesitated. "If you . . . if you need anything, just ask for assistance," she said, a trifle haltingly, as if unaccustomed to being helpful. "I'll be at the reference desk."

"Thank you," said Lily, and watched as the librarian turned and disappeared back into the maze of shelves. With a sigh she turned back to the riddle.

* * *

_"'Neath the windowes fast as stonne, mixe with broth of eagel bune . . ."_ Remus was stretched out on his bed, eyes closed, murmuring the words to himself over and over. It was almost twilight and, as far as anyone knew, not a single student had managed to solve the puzzle. The halls were filled with whispers, rumors, hints, false clues, but no one had made any progress at all.

"We ought to send him to St. Mungo's," said Sirius, from the floor. He and James were busy plagiarising their History of Magic essays in an uncharacteristic show of studiousness. "He's gone mad. The riddle has taken over the last bits of brain that weren't lost to trivia and poetry."

_"Broth of eagel bune," _said Remus again, turning over the words in his mind.

"And Lily still hasn't come back," said James. "That's two meals she's missed. Do you think she's all right?"

"I don't care," said Sirius bluntly. "Remus, mate, are you all right?"

Remus's eyes flew open. "Bune," he said suddenly.

Sirius's brow wrinkled. "What?"

"Bune," said Remus, more thoughtfully this time. He turned over to look at James and Sirius but one look in his eyes told them he was a million miles away. "That's an odd spelling."

"Well, yes," said Sirius. "You're right there."

"Very odd," continued Remus, as if he hadn't heard them. But then, thought Sirius, he probably hadn't. "I've only seen it written that way once."

"It can't be unique," said Peter, who until that point had been writing a letter home to his mum. Then he hesitated. "Can it?"

"Oh, no, no, of course not," said Remus quickly, shaking his head. "That would be ridiculous. I know it's not unique. But the only time I've ever seen it written was in . . ."

There was a long pause.

"Yes?" said James.

"Oh my God." Remus sat up suddenly. "What time is it?"

"Sundown," said Sirius. "As you can see. What's wrong?"

"James, we need your cloak," said Remus. "We have to get to the Restricted Section right now."

* * *

They rushed through the corridors, Sirius, James and Remus trying to fit under a cloak made for one person. James had told Peter to stay behind to cover for them, but really, he confided once they were through the portrait hole, it was because Peter always trod on James's feet. "They're _all_ Restricted Section books," Remus was whispering excitedly as they hurried. "All of them! It's not a poem, they're random lines chosen because they happen to rhyme! Look, this one's from _Moste Potente Potions . . ._ This from _History of Vampire Architecture and Its Influence on Wizarding Agriculture . . ." _

"He's mad," hissed Sirius in James's ear.

"I know," James hissed back. "Tell him to shut it or Pince will hear."

"I can hear you perfectly well, you know," interjected Remus.

"Shh!"

James pushed open the library doors and they slipped inside. The library was empty aside from a few groups of students industriously checking window-stones for secret compartments. Shuffling along with the coordination of many years' practice, the three boys wove through the bookcases to the Restricted Section.

"It'll be somewhere in here," Remus whispered, so softly Sirius had to strain to hear him. "Not in one of the books, I don't think. Maybe stuck between them."

But when they rounded the corner and looked down the long, gloomy aisle, James gasped. A familiar redheaded girl was leaning over a lower shelf, replacing a thick leatherbound book amid a cloud of dust. There was a scrap of ancient-looking parchment clasped in her hand.

Thinking fast, Sirius and Remus clamped their hands over James's mouth before he could exclaim and yanked him back out of sight. Sirius whipped the Invisibility Cloak off them. Before he could even speak James had leapt back round the bookcase and cried "Evans! What are you doing here?"

Lily Evans smirked, actually _smirked,_ and held up the bit of paper in her hand. "Just finding the next clue," she said.


	3. Chapter 3

For once the common room was calm. There was an important Charms essay due the next day and all the sixth years were scattered throughout the room, hunched over their parchments, rulers in hand. Remus was sitting in his favorite armchair by the fireplace and watching owls swoop past the windows. The room was filled with the sound of scratching quills.

_Slam! _Sirius banged his book down on the end table with a resounding crash. Everyone jumped, and there were muffled shrieks from the girls by the window-seats. "Can you _believe _it?" cried Sirius, ignoring them all.

"Sirius!" Remus hissed, fumbling after the inkwell he'd dropped. "Shh!"

"She got it before us!" moaned Sirius, clutching his head. "She won! We lost!"

"Sirius, it's been two days," snapped James, who was in a bad mood. "Get over it already."

"How could _she_ win?" said Sirius, appealing to Remus. "Why did it have to be _Evans?"_

"Shut _up!"_ yelled James to the rafters.

"She's a very clever girl," murmured Remus, eyeing James uneasily. "Now hush."

But Sirius wasn't listening. "What's eating you, anyway?" he asked James, looking curious. "Snivellus insult your girl again?"

James slammed his textbook shut. "That's it," he said. "I'm going upstairs. And if you really want to know why, try the library." He grabbed his schoolbag and stormed up the dormitory steps. Every Gryffindor in the room watched him go, and when he was out of sight they all turned to stare at Sirius and Remus.

"Actually, let's," said Remus, feeling edgy under all the sudden attention. "I . . . have a book I need to check. And everyone else will get some peace and quiet," he added under his breath.

"Excellent," said Sirius, who had already picked up his things and was standing at the ready. "It isn't often he gets this annoyed. I'll have to see if I can replicate it."

* * *

Regulus was pacing frantically. "What do I do? What do I do? _She_ wasn't supposed to figure it out! I set it up so _he_ would! She's . . . she's a _Mudblood!_ She's ruining _everything!"_

"You've said that before," said Monty. He was sitting on his bed, watching Regulus tear back and forth across the cold stone floor. "Oh, yes. I remember. Every waking moment for the past two days."

"Monty, this is _important!" _snapped Regulus.

"I know I'm not supposed to know anything about you setting up this treasure hunt with Elspeth Evermarsh for dark and unsavory purposes," said Monty, "but why don't you just ask _her_ for help?"

"Elspeth is an idiot," said Regulus, pausing long enough to point an accusatory finger at Monty. "You _know_ that."

"She's your partner," Monty pointed out.

"Only because she has all the passwords," said Regulus viciously, resuming his pacing.

"That sounds a little arrogant."

"It's the truth and you know it. Aubrey knows it. Mother knows it. I know it. The only one that doesn't know it is _her."_

"Really, I think you're worrying too much," said Monty, sitting back and stretching. "It'll work out, I'm sure."

"You always say things like that," said Regulus.

"And I'm always right," said Monty complacently.

* * *

"What exactly are we looking for?" asked Sirius out of the corner of his mouth, as he and Remus walked through the library doors. They stopped and scanned their surroundings. Nothing seemed particularly upsetting.

"I have no idea," Remus replied in lowered tones. "Whatever it was he must have seen it when we sent him to fetch our primary sources half an hour ago."

"What has the power to make James that emotionally tormented?" mused Sirius aloud. He began to stroll with exaggerated nonchalance past the study desks and toward the stacks. Remus fell in step with him. "Snivellus in his boxers? A ban on Quidditch? Or-" he slowed down suddenly and pointed down a dusty aisle of bookshelves- "Lily Evans talking to another boy?"

Sirius and Remus both craned to look. Indeed, there was Lily, standing with a book under one arm and another open in her hands. Leaning on the shelves beside her was a tall boy with dusty brown hair and an armful of books. They were laughing companionably.

"Poor James," said Remus.

"Who is that?" said Sirius. "I don't recognize him."

"I think his name's Tadworthy," said Remus. "First or last, I'm not sure. He's a seventh-year Ravenclaw."

"Smart?" said Sirius.

"Oh, yes."

"Charming?"

"Obviously."

"Athletic?"

"Lily says it doesn't matter."

"Good-looking?"

"Er," said Remus, reddening a little.

"Er indeed," said Sirius, looking the boy up and down. "Looks like James is in trouble."

"Er indeed?" said Remus. "What does that-" But the mysterious Tadworthy had noticed them peering down the aisle and nudged Lily, and now she was smiling at them with a superior look on her face. She beckoned to Remus.

"Resist!" hissed Sirius, but Remus was already heading down the aisle toward the pair. Cursing under his breath, Sirius followed.

"Well, well," said Lily pleasantly as they approached. "Did James send you to spy?"

"Spy?" said Remus blankly. The phrase _Er indeed_ was echoing distractingly around his brain.

"You don't have to lie," said Lily. "I know he's jealous about the clue. He's always jealous about _something._"

"It's _ours,"_ growled Sirius suddenly, startling Remus back to reality. He turned and tried to shush his companion. Sirius was glaring at Lily over Remus's shoulder. "Actually, it's ours now," said Tadworthy with a grin.

_"Ours?"_ said Remus and Sirius together, momentarily stunned.

Lily laughed. "Yes, ours," she said. "I was stumped, so I asked Tad to help. We're making great progress. We'll probably have it by tomorrow."

"But . . . but _House loyalty!"_ cried Sirius. "He's a _Ravenclaw!"_

"If we win together, we'll split the spoils," said Tadworthy, with the same amused smile he'd been wearing since they first spotted him. "And if we figure it out separately, every man to himself."

"Or woman," said Lily.

"Right," said Tadworthy.

"I think I'm going to be sick," said Sirius.

"You just can't understand _cooperation,"_ said Lily.

"I can cooperate! We cooperate all the time!" said Sirius indignantly. "Don't we, Remus? We cooperate!"

"Let's go," said Remus, tugging on Sirius's sleeve. "James will be waiting." Tadworthy laughed.

"House traitor," said Sirius over his shoulder as Remus towed him away.

"Tell James I said hello!" called Lily cheerily.

"I hate Ravenclaws," said Sirius.

* * *

"I hate Ravenclaws," muttered Regulus under his breath. _"Rumrunners,"_ he said louder, and the door to the Prefect's Bath swung open. Elspeth was sitting on the edge of the tub as usual.

"Lily Evans got the clue," she said petulantly, by way of greeting. "A Mudblood!"

"I know," said Regulus wearily.

"Well, what are we going to do about it?" she demanded.

For a moment Regulus let his annoyance show, but then good breeding took over. "What are your ideas?" he said smoothly, sitting down on a marble bench by the tub.

"I . . ." She looked flummoxed. "I don't know."

"I don't either," said Regulus calmly. "We can't keep her from getting the next clue; the spells are already in place. It would be difficult to help our target along without rousing suspicion or being discovered. I _think_ all we can do is see what happens. This is only the first clue she's found. There are three more to go before she finds the prize. Who knows if she'll even get that far?"

"So we just wait?" said Elspeth.

"Patience is key," said Regulus, with far more confidence than he felt. "I'm sure everything will turn out all right."

"Of course it will," said Elspeth, smiling now. "We can wait."

* * *

"So you saw him, did you?" said James glumly, as soon as they opened the dormitory door.

"Well, yes," admitted Remus. He looked at James warily. The anger seemed to have subsided into despondence. He was sprawled on his bed, unfinished Charms essay spread flat on his chest and quill clutched in one hand. Peter was flipping through one of the library books on his own bed.

"They're acting like they're best friends," said James mournfully.

"They're _conspiring_ is what they're doing," said Sirius. "Your girl is a House traitor."

"I think," said Remus quickly, lest James or Sirius lose their tempers, "that we need to win the next clue."

They both stared at him. Even Peter looked up from his work.

"And how do you propose to do that?" said Sirius. _"They have the clue."_

"Yes," said Remus, "and we have the Map, don't we?"

There was a very thoughtful pause. "Moony, you're a genius," said James reverently.

"What?" said Peter, eyes flickering from Remus to James.

"We'll watch where they go," explained James excitedly, rolling over onto his stomach and crushing quill and parchment beneath him. "And when it looks like they're going to the clue, we'll _spring out and get it first!"_

"Brilliant," said Sirius.

"Thank you," said Remus modestly. "Everyone feel better now?"

"A little," Sirius admitted.

". . . No," said James, dropping his head to the duvet again. "She's getting help from another boy."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," said Remus, dropping his books on his bed.

"No worries, Jamesie!" said Sirius, bad mood evaporating as quickly as it had come. He flung himself on James's bed beside his prostrate friend. "When she sees that we're cleverer and _more cooperative_ than any Ravenclaw bloke, she's sure to come around!"


End file.
